E3 2014 Hands-On: “Super Smash Bros.” (3DS)

This fall, Super Smash Bros. makes its debut on a handheld system, and its developers were quick to point out that you shouldn’t a handheld slouch here, as this experience should be everybody as good as the game is on its console counterparts. I got a chance to try the game out today, and while it’s a bit rough around the edges, it’s definitely a full on Super Smash Bros. game.

The cool thing about the demo featured was the fact that users were given the opportunity to test the character out before battle. Having already used characters like Mario and Pikachu in previous iterations of the game, I opted to go with Little Mac of Punch-Out!! fame, and while the boxer is definitely a powerhouse, his weakness is jumping is definitely something to keep careful note of.

As stated, in the demo we got a chance to test the character’s moveset out by getting into it with the punching bag from previous Smash games. Before I knew it, it was time to play. My opponent used Mario, whose moveset from previous games was all the more familiar. While Mac obviously can’t jump very well, he’s pretty nimble, which isn’t at all surprising seeing as how the Punch-Out!! games were all about dodging and counter punching. Everything from his straight on A jab to his running attack were all each pretty powerful.

The black outlines visually on each character give the game sort of a comic book feel, but when playing around with the 3D slider, it really just makes each character stand out in 3D. While the 3D look was definitely an impressive look, Super Smash Bros. isn’t a game that’s easy to keep the handheld stationary, so I’d actually advise against using it despite how much better it makes the game look.

Worth noting is the fact that dodging and rolling aren’t mapped symmetrically with the shoulder buttons. During my time with the game, rolling and dodging was limited to using the R button, and it was a tad uncomfortable as I was used to using the left shoulder button in the game’s previous entries. Hopefully, the developers allow to map certain commands to other buttons, because I really see this being a significant distraction, especially if you’re taking a break from the game’s console counterparts.

In all, I came away impressed with the quick response time with each button command, and that’s something Nintendo has done quite well. There are definitely some kinks to work out in the game as I wasn’t all that comfortable with the default button mapping, but there’s hope that this will be fixed.

Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS is scheduled for release on October 3, so expect our review around then. Stay tuned to SmashPad for more coverage.

This fall, Super Smash Bros. makes its debut on a handheld system, and its developers were quick to point out that you shouldn’t a handheld slouch here, as this experience should be everybody as good as the game is on its console counterparts. I got a chance to try the game out today, and while it’s a bit rough around the edges, it’s definitely a full on Super Smash Bros. game. The cool thing about the demo featured was the […]

This fall, Super Smash Bros. makes its debut on a handheld system, and its developers were quick to point out that you shouldn’t a handheld slouch here, as this experience should be everybody as good as the game is on its console counterparts. I got a chance to try the game out today, and while it’s a bit rough around the edges, it’s definitely a full on Super Smash Bros. game.

The cool thing about the demo featured was the fact that users were given the opportunity to test the character out before battle. Having already used characters like Mario and Pikachu in previous iterations of the game, I opted to go with Little Mac of Punch-Out!! fame, and while the boxer is definitely a powerhouse, his weakness is jumping is definitely something to keep careful note of.

As stated, in the demo we got a chance to test the character’s moveset out by getting into it with the punching bag from previous Smash games. Before I knew it, it was time to play. My opponent used Mario, whose moveset from previous games was all the more familiar. While Mac obviously can’t jump very well, he’s pretty nimble, which isn’t at all surprising seeing as how the Punch-Out!! games were all about dodging and counter punching. Everything from his straight on A jab to his running attack were all each pretty powerful.

The black outlines visually on each character give the game sort of a comic book feel, but when playing around with the 3D slider, it really just makes each character stand out in 3D. While the 3D look was definitely an impressive look, Super Smash Bros. isn’t a game that’s easy to keep the handheld stationary, so I’d actually advise against using it despite how much better it makes the game look.

Worth noting is the fact that dodging and rolling aren’t mapped symmetrically with the shoulder buttons. During my time with the game, rolling and dodging was limited to using the R button, and it was a tad uncomfortable as I was used to using the left shoulder button in the game’s previous entries. Hopefully, the developers allow to map certain commands to other buttons, because I really see this being a significant distraction, especially if you’re taking a break from the game’s console counterparts.

In all, I came away impressed with the quick response time with each button command, and that’s something Nintendo has done quite well. There are definitely some kinks to work out in the game as I wasn’t all that comfortable with the default button mapping, but there’s hope that this will be fixed.

Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS is scheduled for release on October 3, so expect our review around then. Stay tuned to SmashPad for more coverage.